National Football League

The National Education Association thinks Colin Kaepernick is an ideal role model. Many members, however, may take their loyalty elsewhere. And frankly, they should. On July 1, the NEA honored Kaepernick, along with several other persons and organizations, with a “Human and Civil Rights” award in recognition of the former pro-football star’s campaign “to fight racial oppression through education and social justice activism.” The born-again political revolutionary, who these last couple years has been peddling the idea that police are conducting a nationwide pogrom against innocent blacks, accepted the honor with predictable melodrama. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way,” he said. “There are bodies in the streets.”

In what is universally agreed to be the National Football League’s worst year, both on and off the field, in anyone’s long-term memory, team owners appear to be ready to reward Commissioner Roger Goodell with a sizable contract extension.

The NFL’s reputation, for many years signified with pride by its “shield” logo, has been diminished by high-profile domestic violence incidents by some of its players; by increasing awareness of long-term brain injuries the game causes; and most of all, by widespread protests during the playing of the National Anthem before games, where many players have refused to stand with respect.

Following in the footsteps of cowardice exhibited by the NFL’s owners, coaches, and media partners, the league’s corporate sponsors remained mostly mute following the offensive display by players who disrespected the symbols of American freedom by kneeling during the Star Spangled Banner.

Friday night’s remarks in Huntsville, Ala. by President Trump, who called upon team owners to “fire” the “SOB” players who refused to stand during the anthem, was met with a firestorm of resistance. Depending on the team, the league-wide response by more than 200 of its players was for some players – and sometimes entire squads – to stay in locker rooms, sit on benches, interlock arms in unity or otherwise go missing during the flag-honoring ceremonies of games.